


Temptation

by betawho



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 03:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betawho/pseuds/betawho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After all the women he'd known, all across time and space, what was it that made River different?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Temptation

In the end, he couldn't resist her.

He always could resist anything but temptation.

After all the women he'd known, all across time and space, what was it that made River different? Well, what was it _ever_ that made that one person special, different from all the rest?

He'd known beautiful women, and powerful women, and dangerous women, and flirts. He'd known scads of smart women, and elegant women, and adventurous women.

He'd lived with women virtually all his life, family and friends and Companions. There was rarely a time when there wasn't some flowery shampoo in his bathroom, or frilly underwear in the laundry.

Yet, as much as he adored women, and he did, he loved their smartness, their gentleness, their empathy, their curiosity, their determination, their valor, he loved the soft prettiness of them, and the irritated way they always stood up for their rights. They were pretty and prickly and soft and strong and colorful and gentle and they made life more lovely.

He would be the first to admit he had a particular fondness for girls. Always had.

So why was River different? Why did she go straight past his usual avuncular fondness for women, and his normal friendships and go straight to the heart of him?

It wasn't even as if she was easy to live with. She was demanding and irritating and was always up in his space. She was almost frighteningly strong. And dangerous.

And, as much as he loved a bad girl. That wasn't it. Although he loved a challenge more than anything.

Was that it? Was she a challenge?

He thought about that. She challenged him in every way imaginable; physically, mentally, emotionally.

He shook his head. Oh, he loved that she could face off with him, toe to toe, and he'd never have any idea which of them would win.

But, that wasn't really it. He'd been challenged by experts. And talented amateurs.

No, what touched his heart about River, what made his heart reach out to her, be receptive to her, what, at the deepest fundamental level, made her different, made her _his_ -

Was that she'd given him her heart. Broken and bleeding, trembling and scared.

And trusted him to keep it safe. To treat it with respect, when no one else ever had.

 

It was a precious burden. And one he'd willingly carry to the end of his life.

—

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